This invention relates to a respiration exercising device and in particular to a device for enhancing inspiration for improvement of pulmonary performance.
One of the main causes for slow recovery of postoperative patients has been inadequate oxygen exchange in the lungs resulting from shallow breathing accompanying the use of general anesthesia. This condition can lead to partial or complete collapse of the lungs and to pneumonia.
Various methods have been proposed for preventing such pulmonary complications including instructions to the patient to breathe deeply, coughing exercises, and the use of blow bottles or the like to enhance expiration. Such methods of lung exercise have not been too successful since the alveoli are not adequately expanded.
Recognizing the greater benefits from methods employing positive pressure breathing, i.e., dilating bronchi and expanding unventilated alveoli by positive inhalation, several devices have been introduced to stimulate the patient in improving his inspiratory capacity. One such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,546. A patient inhaling through a tube at the top of a cylinder causes a piston to rise until it makes contact with a preset post. As long as the patient continues to inhale, the contact causes a light to glow. By changing the setting of the post, greater or lesser inhalation capacity is required to obtain a light signal. Although the piston and cylinder portion is relatively inexpensive and disposable, the signal unit which is detachable is not, so that extensive use of the device becomes impracticable.
Another device which is in use consists of three light weight balls each in three vertical tubes interconnected at their tops and with a vent at the bottom of each tube. When the patient inhales through a breathing tube attached to the first tube, one or more balls will rise to the top of their respective tubes, depending on the strength of the inhalation. The device is inexpensive and disposable and has the capability of measuring three values of inspiratory capacity; however, in some instances the device is too complex.
Still another respiratory exerciser is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,070 which discloses an exerciser having a closed container with three openings. One of the openings is connected to a breathing tube. A second of the openings is connected to one end of an inverted U-shaped member. The other end of the U-shaped member includes an air flotatable member that rises in response to a decrease in pressure within the closed container. The third opening has a variable aperture which controls the rate of air flow. As with the device using the three light weight balls, this device can be too complex for some situations.
Objects of the present invention are, therefore, to provide a device for improving inspiration capacity, to provide a device which is useful for any individual regardless of his lung capacity, and to provide an improved device which is inexpensive, disposable and convenient to use, requiring a minimum of instruction and supervision.